Media Awareness and Sensitization Seminars
Assistance to the Development of a Strategic Action Plan
Support to Developing Regulatory Frameworks and Licensing Procedures

Rwanda: Media Awareness and Sensitization Seminars

Internews Europe is assisting media professionals and government representatives in Rwanda as they define their roles under the Law on The Press of the Republic of Rwanda. As the government continues to consider the role of the media in a post-genocide society, Internews is working with government agencies, media professionals, journalism associations, and parliament toward creating and implementing an effective media law that addresses the specific needs of Rwandans and conforms to international norms.

One consultant Media Law Specialist and one Rwandan Programme Associate are fostering a dialogue between media professionals and government officials through, among others, seminars, roundtables and a pocket guide.

Internews has successfully completed four seminars in Kigali, one in Butare and one in Kibungo. To date, the seminars have been successful in spurring new dialogue amongst media professionals, government officials that deal with the media, and those appointed to media oversight bodies. The remaining two seminars in Kigali and Butare are scheduled for late May and mid-June 2004.

Internews began a series of on-going roundtables for media professionals and government officials in early April. Internews will host the roundtables bi-weekly from April through the end of June to encourage continued local discussion of media law and regulatory policy.

A pocket guide on the media law in Rwanda, including the broadcast license application process for practicing media professionals, will be published in June 2004.

Assistance to the Development of a Strategic Action Plan

Internews Europe is developing a detailed media strategy with all stakeholders that are laying the foundations for a professional and financially independent media sector within the broad bounds of responsible journalism in Rwanda.

Under this project Internews and interested government and media professionals are:

• Creating a responsive strategic framework and an action plan, as well as develop detailed proposals, for media interventions over the next five years, working with the Government of Rwanda (GoR), media professionals and journalism associations, civil society groups, and citizens;

• Developing a capacity building and training plan for the Ministry of Local Government and Social Affairs (MINALOC) for the effective and efficient implementation of its duties under the new Media Law, as well as media relations training and sensitization on the importance of freedom of information;

• Designing a comprehensive development programme for media sector, with a focus on improving local media content and strengthening management skills for media outlet sustainability;

• Planning for audience interaction and feedback, and the inculcation of a responsive, service-oriented culture in nascent independent media;

• Identifying and fostering a project steering committee with representatives from the Government of Rwanda, the independent sector and the independent media who could take the lead regarding the programme of projects and in seeking donor funding to the programme;

• Designing a programme of support to the National University of Rwanda's School of Journalism resulting in the production of a three year strategic plan to prepare students for more rigorous professional competition in the budding independent media sector.

Internews has completed a three-week fact-finding trip in November and December 2003. The trip was concluded by a one-day working session with a group of media professionals and government officials.

In April, Internews met with officials to discuss a draft implementation plan and determine the structure and goals of the committee and is currently developing the final working session with the Committee to complete the project. The Strategic Action Plan is currently being debated and revised by local stakeholders and will be released in June 2004.

Support to Developing Regulatory Frameworks and Licensing Procedures

Internews Europe is developing a project with the Government of Rwanda's Ministry of Local Government and Social Affairs (MINALOC) to design a regulatory framework that is laying the foundation for a free and independent media. Internews is drawing upon its successful experience with regulatory capacity building in Rwanda where it helped establish and organize the new, independent Multi-sector Regulatory Agency of Rwanda (RURA). In addition, Internews is leveraging an established history working with government officials and media professionals in Rwanda to implement a transparent and independent regulatory framework for the new High Council of the Press.

One consultant Media Law Specialist and one Regulatory Advisor are providing assistance to media professionals and government officials. Their mission is to :

• With Commission members, determine the scope of regulatory duties for the High Council of the Press (established by the recent Media Law) so that it may effectively execute its duties while ensuring that the rights and needs of all sections of Rwandan society are adequately protected and provided for;

• Advise on a constitution or Terms of Reference for the High Council of the Press and procedures for conducting its duties in a manner that is transparent, open and free of undue influence;

• Support the Commission in developing quantitative and qualitative aspects of the regulatory framework;

• Develop licensing procedures in coordination with the RURA, for radio station applications and elaborate terms of licenses and criteria for evaluating license applications, as well as a fee structure for media licenses and registration; and,

• Advise the Maison de la Presse and press associations on finalizing a code of conduct and mechanisms for ensuring self-regulation, not self censorship.

A Comparative Media Specialist and a Regulatory Advisor conducted visits to Rwanda in November 2003 and March 2004 to provide advice to the High Council of the Press (HCP). The long delays between visits allowed for the HCP to stabilize its relationship with the new Minister of Information and to improve Internews' relationship with the HCP.

Two sets of recommendations (in December and April) have been delivered to the HCP.